Freshman phenom Jeff Godfrey is the people's choice to be the starter

He has put in the extra time during the offseason to build relationships and become a veteran leader of this UCF team.

And it's not going to matter.

Rob Calabrese cannot win.

Oh, he can win the starting job and probably will, but he is destined to forever be the second-most popular quarterback on his own team.

All you had to do was attend UCF's highly anticipated Saturday scrimmage, where more 1,000 fans came in out of the rain and lined the field at the team's indoor practice facility. They were there to watch the quarterback duel between Calabrese and flashy freshman Jeff Godfrey, the Miami Central product who is the most prolific prep passer in Dade County history.

It was abundantly clear Saturday who UCF fans want to see at quarterback. The cheers were a little louder when Godfrey did something good (like his darting, diving 1-yard TD run on 4th-and-1) and the groans were more pronounced when Calabrese did something bad (like his interception on the opening drive).

"Jeff Godfrey is just so exciting," said a UCF student Kevin Nicola.

"Jeff Godfrey really looks fast and quick," said Jay Patel, who was at the scrimmage with his two kids.

"Jeff Godfrey looks like he's going to be special," said Bill Pons, who has been a UCF fan for 20 years.

Jeff. Jeff. Jeff.

Who could blame Calabrese if he became as exasperated as Jan Brady did in the old sitcom when everybody was talking about her prettier, more popular sister.

"Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!" an annoyed Jan complained.

"I just have to worry about what I have to do," Calabrese said when asked if he has noticed the fan love affair with Godfrey. "I can't pay attention to all that stuff. … I don't go on the Internet."

It's a good thing because UCF fans on the message boards are going gaga over Godfrey. It's sort of like the last presidential election. Calabrese represents the status quo; Godfrey offers hope and change.

"It's just something Rob is going to have to live with," said former UCF quarterback Kyle Israel, now a TV analyst and radio personality. "It's natural when you sign a highly touted freshman. Especially at UCF, where everybody has been clamoring for a really exciting type of offense and a breath of fresh air."

Not that the fan frenzy matters much. The fans and media aren't making this decision, UCF coach George O'Leary is. And he says he might not announce it until the season-opener on Sept. 4.

If it were up to me, I'd start Godfrey because, well, he's just fun to watch. But O'Leary has never been one to base his decisions on entertainment value or by taking a popularity poll.

The coach will not necessarily choose the quarterback who is the most gifted or electrifying. He will choose the player who gives him the best chance to win.

There's no question Godfrey makes the more spectacular plays -- the type of plays, O'Leary says, "you remember." But that doesn't mean Calabrese won't be the starter. Just ask Chris Leak, the veteran quarterback at Florida in 2006, when Gator fans were howling for dynamic freshman Tim Tebow to take over the starting job.

Urban Meyer resisted the urge to start Tebow, even though he was more exciting and a better fit for UF's spread-option offense. Meyer knew Florida had a dominant defense and a championship caliber team. So he stuck with Leak -- a good passer and a solid game manager who had a command of the playbook.

At one point during the season, the boos rained down at Florida field when Meyer inserted Leak back into the game after Tebow had just run for a first down against Kentucky.

Leak went on to take the Gators into the end zone that day and lead them to a national championship that season.

Take heart, Rob Calabrese.

Sometimes you don't have to be the most popular to be the most productive.

Read Mike Bianchi's blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/openmike and listen to him every weekday at 9:30 a.m. on ESPN-1080 AM. You can e-mail him at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com.